Newport Fest Turns Nine with “Quinceanera”

Newport Fest Turns Nine with "Quinceanera"

The Newport International Film Festival will kick off its ninth annual festival in the coming days, taking place in the exclusive Rhode Island community. Running Tuesday, June 6th to Sunday, June 11, the six-day fest will include film premieres, panel discussions, and will open with directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland‘s 2006 Sundance jury and audience award winning film, “Quinceanera.”

Both Glatzer and Westmoreland along with star Jesse Garcia will be present for the film’s premiere and the festival’s opening night gala. Other narrative feature highlights, programmed by NIFF’s new programming director David Nugent and staff, are Erica Dunton‘s “Find Love,” Zackhary Adler‘s “I’m Reed Fish,” Kelly Reichardt‘s “Old Joy,” Michael Winterbottom‘s “The Road to Guantanamo,” and Oren Rudavsky‘s “The Treatment.” Closing the festival will be director David Wike‘s comedy “Champions.”

The Newport Film Festival has a juried competition in the narrative, documentary and short film categories with cash prizes given to the winners. In addition to film prizes, NIFF will honor actress Diane Ladd with this year’s “Claiborne Pell Award for Artistic Excellence.”

“This year’s festival contains a treasure trove of topical, poignant and creative independent films,” commented Newport International Film Festival executive director Laurie Kirby in a statement. “We consider themes of immigration, art on film, social issues and as always, love and relationships. The films are the finest in this year’s bumper crop of amazing works.”